True love never dies
by falling-in-a7x
Summary: Raylan loses the love of his life due to a complication with child birth.
1. Chapter 1

Lauren laid in the hospital bed, barely breathing even with the help of the machines. She had just given birth to another child, and it was causing her to die. She had chosen not to kill the baby, because she wanted Raylan to have something to remember her by. She needed him to always have a peice of her with him, and their daughter was just that thing.

The doctors walked in the hospital room, not showing the best facial expressions. "She doesn't have that long left." The doctor stated, looking at a death ridden Lauren. She was bound to die at any second, there was no way she could hold through.

Raylan simply shook his head and clasped onto his wife's hand. "No." He said, letting a tear fall down his cheek. There was no way he was going to let his wife die. He needed her in his life, he needed to see her face, to her her voice, and to hold her in his arms. Lauren was the only thing that kept him going.

"I'm sorry." The doctor nodded his head in sadness, and exited back out the room. Tears were falling from Raylan's eyes as he looked down at his loving wife. "I love you, Lauren. Don't leave me. Please don't go." He pleaded, burying his head into the crook of her neck. "I''ll be nothing without you. I need you here with me." Raylan placed a hand on her cheek, and stroked it with his thumb. He was nothing without her, she completed him.

"It's my time, Raylan." Lauren replied in between sharp breaths. She was ready to go, she was ready to meet the man they called God. Raylan jerked his head up at her response, and shook his head. "No." He said, looking into her green eyes. "You're not leaving me, I won't let you."

Lauren opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Her head rolled to the side and the monitors started beeping. "Baby, wake up!" Raylan said, shaking Lauren as hard as he possibly could. It was no use, she had already died. There was no way to bring her back.

Doctors rushed into the room and shoved Raylan back. They spent over twenty mintutes trying to revive her, but nothing happened. She was dead.

"I love you." Raylan whispered, watching a sheet get lowered onto the face of Lauren. That last time he would ever see her, but he had their daughter. He knew that little Michelle would look just like like Lauren, and that gave him something to look forward to.


	2. Chapter 2

The years had passed since his wife died, but he was stronger than ever. Everyday since he lost her, he lived every moment he had for their daughter. Michelle was the one thing that kept him alive. If it wasn't for that little girl being on earth, he would have something horrible. Something to harm himself, everyone was sure of it.

Waking up on Friday morning, Raylan walked into the kitchen. His eyes scanned the room, landing on a toddler. Michelle was five years old, blonde hair, blue eyes, and petite figure; she was the image of her mother. Seeing his little girl, Raylan let a smile form over his face. "Mornin', sweetie." He spoke, running a hand through his hair. Raylan walked over the kitchen table and sat in the chair beside his daughter. "What are you doing up so early?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. It was only six thirty.

Michelle shrugged her shoulders and moved her eyes to her father, taking her attention away from the book she was looking at. "Reading about mommy." She said, nodding her head. Raylan's expression changed and he moved his eyes to the book. It was a scrapbook, Lauren's scrapbook. It had their wedding pictures, pregnancy pictures, and even the obituary of Lauren's death. That book was the only one dedicated to Lauren, and Raylan guarded it with his life. "What have you learned so far?" Raylan asked. "She's very pretty." Michelle replied, pointing to a picture of Lauren, it was a pregnancy picture. "Indeed." Raylan said, smiling at his daughter. "What was she like?" Michelle asked, letting the curiosity wash over her.

A sigh escaped Raylan's lips as he hung his head. He knew this moment would come soon, but he had never intended it to be so soon. "Your mother was a wonderful woman. She was always there for her family, no matter what the circumstances were. She loved the little things in life. She was a very loving person, Michelle. She loved you and me more than life itself." He said, letting his smile return. "What happened to her? How did she die?" Michelle questioned. "During childbirth. When she went into labor with you, something went wrong. She couldn't hold on any longer." He replied, swallowing hard. That he hated talking about, he hated how his wife left him. But, he did love that he had a reminder of her; their daughter.

Michelle looked down at the table, frowning. Her mother was dead because of her. She may have been a toddler, but she was smarter than what people gave her credit before. A sigh escaped Raylan's lips, seeing the expression on his daughters face. He knew that she was upset, and he was really starting to regret telling her the truth. "Chelle, how about we spend the day together?" He asked, softly. "What about school?" Michelle asked, raising her brow. "I'll call and tell them you're sick." He nodded his head. "But, i'm not." Michelle protested. "I know, and that'll be our little secret." He said, grinning at the toddler. "Okay!" Michelle said, sounding rather excited. She could spend the day with her father and she didn't have to go school; that day was going to be a good one, she could already tell.

Raylan removed himself from the table and walked over to the phone. Smiling as he dialed the schools number. "This is Michelle Givens father, she won't be attending school today. She has a very high fever and stomach aches." Raylan told the person on the other end. It didn't take long with the conversation. A few 'Okay', 'Thank You's', then he was done. "Okay, let's go get ready." Raylan said, looking back over at Michelle, watching her jump up from the table and running up the stairs. That day was certainly be good, one that he'd never forget.


	3. Chapter 3

Michelle ran into her room, instantly going over to her closet. She swung open the doors and pulled out a denim skirt, white shirt, and black cowboy boots. She may have been a child, but she was a lot more stylish than people though. She inherited her fashion sense from her mother, another thing that kept the memory of Lauren alive.

She quickly put on her outfit and grabbed her jacket, before running back down the stairs. "Daddy!" Michelle squealed, running up to her father. Raylan opened his arms and picked her up in his arms. "What are we going to do today?" Michelle asked, looking at her father.

Raylan raised his brow and looked at his daughter. A smile formed over his lips before he picked up his keys from the table. "We're going to go spend the day with Arlo and Boyd." He said, watching his daughter giggle with excitement. Arlo and Boyd were Michelle's two favorite people, even if they weren't Raylan's. He was willing to put up with them for the sake of his daughter.

Raylan carried his daughter out to the car, putting her in her car seat. He rounded the car and got into the drivers seat, pulling out his cell phone before he started the engine and drove off.

-text-

Meet me at Arlo's. Michelle wants to see you.

-send-

Raylan texted Boyd as he drove down the road to his fathers. In the back seat, Michelle was happily looking out the window. Seeing the look on her face, made him miss Lauren more than anything. He wished that things could have been different, but he was making the best of his current situation.

Ten minutes passed and they arrived at his father's. "Here we are, Chelle." Raylan said, shutting off the engine. Once again, Michelle was giggling with excitement. Raylan got out the car, instantly going to the back and getting Michelle out her car seat. After he sat her on the ground, Michelle ran into the house, instantly jumping in Boyd's arms. "Boyd!" Michelle squealed, wrapping her arms around the mans neck.

A smile formed over Boyd's neck and he hugged the toddler. He was there when she was born and he was there when Raylan was too depressed to take care of her. Boyd helped raised that child, and because of that, he loved her as if she was his own. Raylan walked through the door, taking his hat off as he did. "Boyd, Arlo." He said, looking between the two men.

"She looks like her mother, y'know." Arlo stated, looking at his granddaughter. A sigh escaped Raylan's lips as he sat down in the armchair. "I know, dad. She even acts her too. Michelle has Lauren's attitude, her sense of humor, her fashion sense, and even inherited her adorable act." Raylan said, frowning. "Down." Michelle whispered to Boyd.

Boyd set Michelle down on the floor and watched as she made her way over to her father. Tears formed in the little girl's eyes and Raylan raised his brow. "What's wrong, baby?" He asked, picking up his daughter and placing her in his lap. "I'm sorry that mommy died because of me. I'm sorry that it's my fault you miss her. I didn't mean to make you sad." Michelle said, before she began to sob in her father's shoulder.

Arlo moved from the couch and kneeled down beside the arm chair. "Michelle, it's not your fault. God wanted Lauren to come live with him, you didn't do anything. She didn't die because of you, she died because it was her time." Michelle shook her head and looked over at her grandfather. "But daddy is still sad." Raylan sighed, wiping her tears away from her cheeks. "Daddy is going to be sad for a while, but what will really make him happy is for you to be happy. You have to be strong for your daddy." Boyd said, his voice gentle.

Michelle nodded her head at his words and moved her attention to her father. She let a smile form over her lips as kissed Raylan's cheek. "Can we have ice cream?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. "Yes, we can have ice cream." Raylan said, setting Michelle down on the floor. Michelle ran into the kitchen and sat at the table, as the three men followed behind her. Boyd grabbed the ice cream from the freezer, Arlo grabbed the bowls, and Raylan got the spoons. So far, this day was turning out to be better than he expected. At least this time a fight didn't break out. He didn't want Michelle to witness that again.


End file.
